The New TomKatTM 10, or Henriksen JazzAmp 110 Ext. Range

**JJRR** · 01-08-2014, 02:18 PM

I plan to buy one of these.
The New TomKatTM 10, or Henriksen JazzAmp 110 Ext. Range.

I'm not sure whats best?
Offcause its a matter of taste, but I'd love to hear from somebody who has tried one or both.

Please share your knowledge and experience.

Best regards
Jan

**JJRR** · 01-08-2014, 02:29 PM

I'll be using it for a Gibson 175, and 335. I'm looking for portability and GOOD sound!!

**JSanta** · 01-08-2014, 02:42 PM

I just saw Bucky Pizzarelli using the new TomKat and I loved the way he sounded. Obviously that has a lot to do with how he plays and his mastery over the instrument, but his tone was what I would think of as great.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 01-08-2014, 03:10 PM

For what it's worth, there seem to be a lot more Henriksens around. Also, do yourself a favour and check out Mambo: http://www.mambo-amp.co.uk/. There are a number of happy Mambo owners on the forum.

**JJRR** · 01-08-2014, 04:42 PM

Thank you for your replies, I’m going to try a TomKat soon.
There is no “Mambo dealer” around where I can try, so I’ll look around on the web for soundclips.
Looks like a beautiful little amp.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-08-2014, 05:00 PM

Yeah Mambo, much better than the other two!!

**JJRR** · 01-08-2014, 05:14 PM

Is that the Mambo10 you mean?

**jorgemg1984** · 01-08-2014, 05:19 PM

Depends on what speaker size / weight you want... you have 8, 10 and 12. Your choice

I have an head that use with a 10 Mambo cab and a 12 DrZ cab.

**JJRR** · 01-08-2014, 05:29 PM

It's smart with the head so you can combine it with whatever you want :-)
But I think I'll go for the 10 combo with the possibility of adding another cab when needed.
I want portability! (and goood sound)

Does the Mambo head have reverb?

**Spook410** · 01-08-2014, 06:21 PM

I have a Henriksen head. It's clean. More than enough power. Sounds good with a Redstone ER110 and I've never felt I needed a 12. I'm looking for an acoustic sound so I carve out the middle and emphasize the bottom and top. It's not great at that with their EQ band choices but add an outboard parametric equalizer and everything works well. If you're looking for an electric midrange sound from your ES175/335, you may find it will do this just fine with flat settings.

The Henriksen head was discontinued awhile back but I understand they are working on a new model. They are small and light and can go in a backpack with your cables if you don't want the limitations of a combo.

**JJRR** · 01-08-2014, 06:35 PM

Sounds like a nice solution too!

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 01-08-2014, 06:46 PM

The Mambo combos don't come with an external speaker out, but I don't think you'd need it.

Onboard reverb is an option, but most people have it on their pedal boards anyway.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-08-2014, 08:01 PM

Yeah a combo is a more simpler idea, I just like to mix cabs

The Mambo has a very good reverb, head or combo. If you ask for the power amp used in the head for the combo I think you can have an external cab out... talk with Jon, he's VERY nice and he'll answer all your questions.

I also have an Henriksen head. I modded it a lot and use it with a barb eq for a fender sound. Stock for the fat jazz sound the Mambo is incomparably better than the Henriksen: better reverb, better eq, much more options, much better cab and dispersion, much warmer, much better customer service. Everything

In my opinion of course.

PS - Just as an example I just changed the speaker on my Mambo 10 cab for an EV. Loved the sound but needed the mid frequency on the Mambo to be much lower now - emailed Jon and he quickly told me he has a simple mod my tech can do locally. I tried to have Henriksen give me reverb specifications or schematics and yeah right... Dream.

**JJRR** · 01-09-2014, 05:06 AM

Thank you!
How does the Mambo react to pedals? A little Overdrive, Chorus.
I might need that once in a while.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-09-2014, 06:36 AM

Delay and reverb sound great in the loop. I don't use chorus but no reason for not sounding good.

As for OD the Mambo is a flat frequency amp - has much more midas than, say, a fender. This means mid-heavy ODs might not sound very good... But I use a TS (mid heavy) with it and I quite like it. And also a RAT - the RAT sounds better I think. You can get that fusion Rosenwinkel sound which I don't know if it's your taste or not.

https://soundcloud.com/jorgegoncalve...branco-e-preto

https://soundcloud.com/jorgegoncalve...nho-dos-outros

https://soundcloud.com/jorgegoncalve...io-com-marcelo

https://soundcloud.com/jorgegoncalve...-blue-trio-com

All done with a Mambo with delay and reverb. No OD though...

**AlainJazz** · 01-09-2014, 07:06 AM

I also have a Henriksen head and cab. Basically equivalent the 110 combo. I really like the amp but I must say that I too have been intrigued by the mambo. Looks like a really nice little amp. I'd love to try one out someday.

**CliveR** · 01-09-2014, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by JJRR

I plan to buy one of these.
The New TomKatTM 10, or Henriksen JazzAmp 110 Ext. Range.

I'm not sure whats best?
Offcause its a matter of taste, but I'd love to hear from somebody who has tried one or both.

Please share your knowledge and experience.

Best regards
Jan

I love my old TomKat amp. Perfect jazz tone with my 175.

**Franz 1997** · 01-09-2014, 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by AlainJazz

I also have a Henriksen head and cab. Basically equivalent the 110 combo. I really like the amp but I must say that I too have been intrigued by the mambo. Looks like a really nice little amp. I'd love to try one out someday.

Alain, I think you'd find the mambo especially good with the L5; it loves my L4, the amp eq really complements the complex spruce-top sound. There aren't any dealers, it's direct sales only to keep the price down, but there is, or used to be, a demo model that you could try.

I prefer the 12" model, about the same size as the hendriksen , but everyone else seems to like the 10" version.

Chris

**jzucker** · 01-09-2014, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

The Mambo combos don't come with an external speaker out, but I don't think you'd need it.

Onboard reverb is an option, but most people have it on their pedal boards anyway.

dealbreaker if you gig and play with big bands or use it with a fusion/pop band IMO

**jorgemg1984** · 01-09-2014, 08:07 AM

Jon will add that if one asks!

**Franz 1997** · 01-09-2014, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by jzucker

dealbreaker if you gig and play with big bands or use it with a fusion/pop band IMO

it depends on the version IMO..180w thru the 12" version gives a lot of kick and can easily hang in with a fender pro reverb, for example, but I agree that the 10" ( the most popular format ) would be stretched in that context and is a better small combo amp.

it's not designed as a multi-purpose amp, more a dedicated jazz amp.

**marcwhy** · 01-09-2014, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Jon will add that if one asks!

The stock Mambo head comes with two speaker outs.

**jorgemg1984** · 01-09-2014, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by marcwhy

The stock Mambo head comes with two speaker outs.

I know, I am talking about the combos. I believe the stock combo power amp cannot go 4 ohms so that's why Jon does not provide a speaker out - but I believe he can use the head power amp which can go 4 ohms and, therefore, accept a speaker out.

**mangotango** · 01-09-2014, 09:29 AM

To go back to the original question before the Mambo derailment - I have a Henriksen Jazzamp 1110 (not the ER, sorry) and a Jazzkay Blueskat which is pre-Tomkat, but with the same 2 channel, one with valve (tube) arrangment with an 8" speaker.

If I want one sound that will work perfectly for mainstream jazz, clean for days, then the Henriksen is pretty much it. I've used it with a big band, a quartet and expecially a guitar/upright bass duo. have had compliments on how the guitar sounded from audience and bandmates in all 3 settings. Not my favourite with a distortion pedal, it has to be said, and no onboard reverb on mine.

If I want one amp that will work well in pretty much every situation, the Blueskat would be my choice. Again, positive response in all those formats, but it handles easily all the work I do with the quartet that covers all sorts of sounds and styles. very easy to get a good jazz sound without much twiddling of controls. Plus I can drive it for fusion-y stuff as it goes easily from clean to driven and responds well to my digging into the strings. Doesn't get 'boxy' even with the 8" speaker and it likes the pedalboard just fine. And I can set up the second channel for my nylon string electro-acoustic. Downside - the onboard digital FX are pretty much a waste of space and I just use a little background reverb.

Little amp/home amp is a Fender SuperChamp XD, which is grab-an-go par excellence, but struggles to maintain warmth at any kind of volume.

If I were only allowed to keep one amp, it would be the Blueskat. Most versatile, bit more power, nice and light. Maybe not pretty, but then again did I mention the tweed covering?

**AlainJazz** · 01-09-2014, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Franz 1997

Alain, I think you'd find the mambo especially good with the L5; it loves my L4, the amp eq really complements the complex spruce-top sound. There aren't any dealers, it's direct sales only to keep the price down, but there is, or used to be, a demo model that you could try.

I prefer the 12" model, about the same size as the hendriksen , but everyone else seems to like the 10" version.

Chris

Thanks Chris. I appreciate the insight. I guess that's my new GAS item. Gotta save a bit of money first though :-)